Sri Sri Ravi Shankar gets Paraguay's highest civilian award

NEW DELHI: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, well known humanitarian and spiritual teacher and ambassador of peace, has been honoured with Paraguay's highest civilian award, National Order of Merito de Comuneros on September 13, during a two-day visit to the South American country.

The award, conferred on the founder of the globally-known humanitarian organisation, The Art of Living, has only been given to two others in the 200-year history of the Paraguayan parliament.

Sri Sri also received a Doctorate Honoris Causa by the Universidad Autonoma de Asuncion of Paraguay, in recognition of the humanitarian work done by The Art of Living. He arrived in the capital city of Asuncion to a warm welcome and was received by the President of Paraguay, Dr Federico Franco.

He later addressed the Paraguayan Senate and was given the status of an illustrious citizen by the municipality on September 12. Mayor Arnaldo Samaniego and Counsellor Martin Arevalo declared Sri Sri an illustrious guest of Asuncion and gave him the key to the city.